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Effective Prayer, Or Not? Reflecting on Why You Haven’t Received What You’ve Asked For–Part III

Make requests that are in the perfect will of God for your life. Align your mind, heart, and spirit with the Spirit of God to prepare yourself for what you’ve been asking for. Believe. Have faith.

“And the Lord said, “If you have [confident, abiding] faith in God [even as small] as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree [which has very strong roots], ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea’; and [if the request was in agreement with the will of God] it would have obeyed you.” (Luke 17:6 AMP)

I just believe God. If He says that what I speak in Faith will come to past, then that’s what it is. Notice how the Amplified Bible notes the condition that the request must be “in agreement with the will of God.” This ties us back to our first condition to getting our prayers answered—making requests that are aligned with the will of God. For if they are outside of God’s will, we should not expect our requests to be granted. Recall how James insisted that when we make requests to God and do not get them granted to us, it is because we ask amiss–asking God for things that are not on one accord with His will (James 4:3).

If we truly have faith, we must have faith that God’s will is greater than ours—it is perfect; and a true prayer of faith is a prayer aligned with God’s will and not our own.

As Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will but what You will” (Mark 14:36 NKJV). All things are possible with God. If God doesn’t grant a request, it’s not because he can’t. It’s because the request is not in His perfect will and plan for your life. Which of you would mind withholding something your child asked for, knowing that you have a much greater gift waiting for them ahead—one that would make them forget that they’d even asked for the lesser—one beyond what they’d thought they’d ever receive from you—one that would bring them so much joy and happiness? God is our Abba, our daddy in heaven. I believe that He withholds from us for the purpose of providing us with greater (Ephesians 3:20, I Corinthians 2:9) Thank you, Jesus! Hallelujah!

Prayers of faith are also prayers that are prayed from a place of authentic love. If we have any uncleanness, or unforgiveness in our heart, we must repent, ask God to remove it from us, forgive, and then make our requests (Psalm 51:2, I John 1:9, Mark 11:25). God is a God of love. God is love, and if we are not operating in Love, then we are violating the second condition for getting our prayers heard and answered—getting our mind, hearts, and spirit aligned with God’s. “…God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (I John 4:16 NKJV). We know that scripture that tells us that faith without works is dead (James 2:26), I’d venture even further to say that faith without love is dead (I Corinthians 13:2). For the word informs us that God will not hear us if we have unclean hearts, offering up prayers in the midst of unrighteousness (Isaiah 59:2). God turns His ear from unrighteous prayers (Psalm 66:18 ESV). We must purify our hearts, ridding ourselves of all iniquity-all that is not love, to draw near to God and be heard by Him (James 4:8)

Faith begins in the heart. We can say that we believe. But the lack of manifestation of what we pray for, or speak, may be evidence of what’s truly in our hearts—doubt. We see in Matthew 17:14-20 that it is possible to pray, decree, and declare a thing and not get results. According to the words of Jesus, the disciples could not cure an epileptic little boy because of their unbelief. The prayer of faith has no remnant of doubt. When we pray, we must not doubt if we desire and expect to have our prayer(s) answered (James 1:6).

Ask according to the will of God.

Align your heart, mind, and Spirit with God.

Have Faith & Believe.

The goal is to begin to see your prayers manifest more and more consistently. So, begin to move forward making it your life’s practice to offer up prayers that meet all the above requirements. Our Abba, daddy in heaven, wants us to be happy. He wants us to be full of purposeful pleasure. He wants us to live in abundance to the point of overflow. He wants our lives to be a reflection of the Good, Good Father that He is to us. But, we must do our parts as his children.

“If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples.I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing” (John 15:7-9, 11).

“Until now you have not asked [the Father] for anything in My name; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete (John 16:24)”